Academic misconduct

Defining academic misconduct

Read these definitions carefully. The academic requirements of studying at Sussex may differ from where you’ve studied previously.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the use, without acknowledgement, of the intellectual work of other people, and the act of representing the ideas or discoveries of another as one’s own in written work submitted for assessment. To copy sentences, phrases or even striking expressions without acknowledgement of the source (either by inadequate citation or failure to indicate verbatim quotations), is plagiarism; to paraphrase without acknowledgement is likewise plagiarism. Where such copying or paraphrasing has occurred, the mere mention of the source in the bibliography shall not be deemed sufficient acknowledgement; each such instance must be referred specifically to its source. Verbatim quotations must be either in inverted commas, or indented, and directly acknowledged.

Find out how to avoid plagiarism on Skills Hub.

Collusion

Collusion is the preparation or production of work for assessment jointly with another person or persons unless explicitly permitted by the assessment. An act of collusion is understood to encompass those who actively assist others or allow others to access their work prior to submission for assessment. In addition any student is guilty of collusion if they access and copy any part of the work of another to derive benefit irrespective of whether permission was given. Where joint preparation is permitted by the assessment task but joint production is not, the submitted work must be produced solely by the student making the submission. Where joint production or joint preparation and production of work for assessment is specifically permitted, this must be published in the appropriate module documentation.

Find out how to avoid collusion on Skills Hub.

Personation

Personation in written submissions is where someone, or software (unless explicitly permitted in the assessment guidance from the module convenor) other than the student prepares the work, part of the work, or provides substantial assistance with work submitted for assessment. This includes but is not limited to: AI generated text or responses; purchasing essays from essay banks; commissioning someone else to write an assessment; writing an assessment for someone else (including where no benefit is gained by the student producing the assessment); using a proofreader where this is not allowed; using substantive changes proposed by a proof reader or third party (person or electronic service) that do not adhere to the University guidance on proofreading; work that has been written in a language other than the language required for assessment and translated (for language based assessments only); work including sections that have been translated without acknowledgement.

Personation in examinations includes asking someone else to sit an examination. Students who attend an examination without their student ID-card or other acceptable form of photo-ID will not have their examination script marked until their identity has been confirmed.

Cases of personation will usually be considered to be major misconduct, with the exception of proofreading and translation transgressions where they are limited in their extent and may be considered to be minor misconduct.

Find out how and why to avoid personation on Skills Hub.

Exam misconduct

Misconduct in examinations held on campus includes having, or attempting to gain access, during an examination, to any books, memoranda, notes (including notes on paper or transcribed on the student’s skin), unauthorised calculators, phones, watches or other internet enabled devices or any other material, except such as may have been supplied by the invigilator or authorised by official university bodies. Having these items on the student’s person in the exam room after the start of the exam is a breach of examination room protocols and as such misconduct, regardless of whether or not they are accessed or are relevant to the examination. Misconduct also includes aiding or attempting to aid another student or obtaining or attempting to obtain aid from another student, or any other communication within the examination room.

Misconduct in exams taken remotely includes using the following in the completion of the submitted exam answer paper, except where these have been authorised as part of the assessment task: text or ideas taken from the internet or other sources, unauthorised calculators, material provided by someone else including another student or an essay writing service. Misconduct in an exam taken remotely also includes sharing material with, or otherwise helping, another student prior to them submitting their answer paper.

Misconduct in exams held on campus or remotely also includes cases where the exam question paper or model answers have been obtained and/or shared in advance of the exam, except where such material has been provided as part of the assessment task.

The University takes misconduct in examination extremely seriously and any concerns raised will result in an investigation of potential major academic misconduct.

Find out how to avoid exam misconduct on Skills Hub.

Fabrication of results

Fabrication of results is where the results of an experiment, focus group or other research activity have been made up. This also includes observations in practical or project work, such as recording the outcome of a lab experiment that didn’t go as planned.

Find out why you should avoid fabricating results on Skills Hub.

Breach of research ethics

Breach of research ethics includes failure to gain ethical approval; carrying out research without appropriate permission; breach of confidentiality or improper handling of privileged or private information on individuals gathered during data collection; coercion or bribery of project participants. Students conducting research with human participants, personal data (including that collected from social media and other sources), non-human animal subjects or research that may have a detrimental impact on the environment, must gain ethical approval before carrying out the research, this includes before contacting potential participants and/or advertising the study.

Students are responsible for complying with the requirements set out as part of the approval process including consulting with their supervisor, in the submission of formal amendments for subsequent changes in their approved research.